Monitoring and Evaluation Resources - Welfare to Work Vouchers

Overview

Monitoring and evaluation efforts are essential to good program management. The same reporting requirements of the regular Section 8 program apply to the WtW Voucher Program. By monitoring outcomes, PHAs will be able to identify problem areas, allocate resources more efficiently, and ultimately administer a more effective program. Monitoring outcomes will also allow PHAs and HUD to demonstrate the success of the WtW Voucher Program, thereby building public support and leveraging additional funding for the program.

Measuring Success

To be successful, PHAs must demonstrate that housing assistance enabled WtW voucher participants to obtain and/or retain employment. PHAs may also want to define and track other indicators of success for their individual programs. At a minimum, however, PHAs should be regularly collecting leasing and employment data.

PHAs should maximize use of existing data and tracking systems to measure success. Much of the data that PHAs will need for monitoring may already be gathered, either through HUD's Multi-family Tenant Characteristics System or through a partner's tracking system. Advanced planning, a thorough analysis of existing data, and close collaboration with partners will prevent duplication of efforts and improve the quality and usefulness of the monitoring.

Resources

	Why Monitor Progress? A Presentation from the National Conference (Adobe PDF, 21 slides)
	Using MTCS to Monitor WtW Families: A Presentation from the National Conference (Adobe PDF, 20 pages)
	Relevant HUD Forms
	Form HUD-50058: FSS/Welfare to Work Voucher Addendum Summary
	Implementation of Revised Form HUD-50058, Family Report
	Does it Work? Welfare to Work and its Impact on Economic Self-Sufficiency, Evaluation Report (Adobe PDF, 16 pages), Housing Authority of Snohomish County (WA) study finding housing assistance positively impacts families' earnings and supportive services paired with housing assistance through Welfare-to-Work have an even greater effect on earned income.
	CHAC Mobility Program Assessment -- Interim Report - Urban Institute study of the Chicago Housing Authority's Housing Choice Voucher Program. (Adobe PDF, 79 pages)
	Jobs First: Final Report on Connecticut's Welfare Reform Initiative. (Adobe PDF, 52 pages) Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation's study of the Connecticut DSS "Jobs First Program," which began in 1996.
	Utilizing Outcome and Performance Data to Enhance Service Delivery. Resource developed by the Welfare Information Network.
	Learning From Each Other Case Studies

Sample Tools

The following tools are designed to help PHAs and their partners obtain and track information about their WtW clients. These tools are intended only as guides - PHAs and their partners should read through and revise these tools, as appropriate, to fit the specific needs of their WtW Voucher programs.

	Worksheet: Thinking Through Data Sources (Adobe PDF, 10 pages)
	Tools for Evaluating Job Training Programs
	Sample WtW Voucher Program Participant Survey: Focus on Employment, Education, Assistance, and Supportive Services. (Adobe PDF, 2 pages) Resource developed by the Boston Housing Authority and distributed during the Boston WtW Workshop in May 2002.
	Sample WtW Voucher Program Participant Survey Tracking Tool. (Adobe PDF, 11 pages) Resource developed by the Boston Housing Authority and distributed during the Boston WtW Workshop in May 2002.
	Sample Monitoring Tool to Assess WtW Employment Plans. (Adobe PDF, 1 page) Resource developed by the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority (The Dalles, OR).